psychesmartautismtm's posterous http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com Most recent posts at psychesmartautismtm's posterous posterous.com Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:01:11 -0700 Psyche-Smart autism http://goo.gl/OtkP5 http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/psyche-smart-autism-httpgooglotkp5 http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/psyche-smart-autism-httpgooglotkp5

Getting there: Psyche-Smart Autism Book is about to be published. Sixteen years of blood, sweat and tears are finally about to materialize into something hopefully can help many struggling families. You may find out more
here: http://goo.gl/OtkP5
or here: http://goo.gl/N8RUg

Book highlights and learning objectives:

 from a highly sensitive doctor on a journey of self-discovery, unlock autism secrets:
 A reachable goal: autistic, communicative, consistent, congenial, happy & thriving… all in one person!
 Practical easy-to-perform screening tool for autism as early as 2 months of age and throughout life
 When and how autistic children/adults thrive
 How to delay the appearance of autism – learn the triggers you need to avoid and the behaviors you need to adopt
 Substantial emotional relief to struggling parents: why autistics behave the way they do
 A paradigm shift in parent-child relationship from caregiver for a sick child to proud parent of a quirky child who constantly craves learning!
 Step-by-step integrated approach, including unique behavioral tools necessary to raise autistic children from pregnancy to well-adjusted, social adults
 Step-by-step approach to medical and nutritional care for autistic children & adults
 Comprehensive practical advice on social and interpersonal issues management from puberty to old age
 Revealing insights on ADHD & PTSD

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:01:06 -0800 Cannabis edibles in autism: could it help tamp down the threat http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/cannabis-edibles-in-autism-could-it-help-tamp http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/cannabis-edibles-in-autism-could-it-help-tamp

Cannabis edibles in autism: could it help tamp down the threat

As you might know I had promised not to comment on lay journal articles about autism. It has obviously been overdone and I would not be adding much by doing that. However, a news article about a mother who used marijuana to improve her autistic son's sociability and other interactive traits caught my eye. Of course anyone who has used pot can tell you that it relaxes, mallows and removes the edge.

This is apparently due to cannabis ability to tamp down the activity of the stress system. This system is particularly overactive in autistics and gives them an overinflatedsense of fear. Fear in turn leads to withdrawal. So what we have here is a highly protective sense of self-preservation. This is manifested through fear of engaging with strangers, fear of adventure and so many other forms of fear that can be crippling to many.

Cannabis or pot can temporarily ease the grip of this inhibitory process to allow an autistic person to be more outwardly. This is obviously not a treatment or a cure but who needs to be cured of who they are anyway. This is however a way to let autistics get over a crisis in which they find themselves overly introspective, more than their usual self.

Rami Serhan, MD
consultant@sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm

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Thu, 17 Feb 2011 14:01:07 -0800 Another closeted autistic changes the world: Shy U.S. Intellectual Created Playbook Used in a Revolution NYT http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/another-closeted-autistic-changes-the-world-s http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/another-closeted-autistic-changes-the-world-s

Another closeted autistic changes the world: Shy U.S. Intellectual Created Playbook Used in a Revolution NYTimes

This is a truly heart warming story. An 83 yo Bostonian who has never married, lives a modest existence, is unfamiliar with technology, cannot drive a car, his house is overflowing with books and papers and not much else and his assistant believes that he is incapable of taking care of himself; wrote a manual that has been used to topple dictatorships in at least 7 countries so far. The last of these dictatorships were Egypt and Tunisia.

The man has a history in non-violent struggle. He was an activist against the korean war and went to jail over his convictions. Over the years he has written a lot about toppling dictatorships through non-violent means. One of his manuals is widely used worldwide for this purpose. Not many people in his own country have heard of this remarkable man what with our constant need for war since Andrew Jackson wrote the book on perpetrating violence and getting away with it.

You can identify the traits of an adult autistic just by reading the observations of a journalist. Obviously he is a highly functioning autistic, an expectation we cannot fairly place on every autistic kid. While all autistics share some common defining personality characters, some are more functioning than others and some are more highly intellectual than others. Yet each and everyone of them has a unique talent that a smart and loving parent can and should work on helping their child find it and nourish it.

This great man I am referring to in this article, is described as shy. As you know shy is the code word neurotypicals use to describe someone whom they consider socially inept. This is fine as long as they stick around long enough to realize that while they are cheering on all sorts of violent inclinations and blood thirst, there is someone out there who single-handedly is overturning these inclinations and re-educating generations on tolerance, non-violence and attainment of rights through peaceful means.

Like I always tell my clients, walking away from a violent or explosive situation is not cowardes. Not the least bit. It is only being true to who you are and what you are, a non-violent, civilized person. Walking away from violence does not mean one is giving up her rights and it does not mean you are a pacifist either. It only means one is choosing to take their rights through peaceful means. This can include litigation or sabotage or any of a wide range of tools that gene sharp (the hero of this piece) describes aptly in his books. He says, identify a dictator's weaknesses and exploit them. If you use violence then you are playing to the dictator's strength and you will be defeated. Think for a moment, if you replace the word dictator by the word bully in the previous sentence you got yourself a recipe for your child who is inevitably going to face bullies in school and lat in adulthood too.


Rami Serhan, MD
consultant@sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm

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Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:01:05 -0800 Ahhhh ACCEPTANCE, Autistic Reporter depicted in a humorous non-condescending manner by the onion new network http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/ahhhh-acceptance-autistic-reporter-depicted-i http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/ahhhh-acceptance-autistic-reporter-depicted-i

Ahhhh ACCEPTANCE, Autistic Reporter depicted in a humorous non-condescending manner by the onion new network

<iframe frameborder="no" width="480" height="270" scrolling="no" src="http://www.theonion.com/video_embed/?id=18983"><iframe>
Autistic Reporter Covers Gathering Of Crying People


Rami Serhan, MD
consultant@sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm

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Sun, 16 Jan 2011 09:33:07 -0800 Sunday viewing pleasure: 1956 LSD experiment gone beyond amazing; they had it real good! http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/sunday-viewing-pleasure-1956-lsd-experiment-g http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/sunday-viewing-pleasure-1956-lsd-experiment-g

Sunday viewing pleasure: 1956 LSD experiment gone beyond amazing; they had it real good!
Rami

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Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:39:13 -0800 Progress in Autism: Self awareness and regulation, a worthy challenge http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/progress-in-autism-self-awareness-and-regulat http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/progress-in-autism-self-awareness-and-regulat

Progress in Autism: Self awareness and regulation, a worthy challenge

A new study out of Stanford has compiled available evidence to try and map the brain circuits impending a full fledged state of self awareness in autism. The study points to the prefrontal cortex as the seat of self awareness or lack thereof. This is not surprising given the inordinate amount of funds going toward deciphering this particular part of the brain.

This is not saying that the prefrontal cortex is not involved. To the contrary, I am only pointing to the overly narrowed focus on specific area of the brain at the expense of other equally important areas such as the midbrain limbic system, nucleus accumbens abd others.

Having said that let us go back to a more practical approach to self awareness. Autistics, asperger's and highly sensitive individuals are not lacking in self awareness per se. However in social situations they appear to be. In private, when alone however most people on the spectrum are completely self aware and present. It is in the company of others, in the context of interpersonal interaction that the self awareness mechanism seems to fail, and fail it does, often miserably.

As many adults on the spectrum can tell you, they are mostly self aware in private unless they are in sensory overload (immediately following social exposure). And therefore the pattern emerges, self awareness dissolves when an autistic is confronted with a demanding or novel social situation and is promptly reconstituted once that social situation and it's aftermath resolve.

This leads me to pay attention to a functional system in the brain, which many are calling the behavioral inhibitory system. This system is present in every living human being for the purpose of self preservation. This is the system that prevents us from jumping in front of a speeding bus or touch a naked electric wire. In short the purpose of the inhibitory behavior is to prevent self harm. This system is highly responsive to danger. Once a dangerous situation is discovered objectively or even just perceived, the inhibitory system kicks in and exercises restraint over our activities and behavior to ensure preservation of the person's life, and prevention of injury.
For individuals on the spectrum, this inhibitory mechanism is so powerful, it operates on the least possible trigger. This is why autistics are famously aware of impending danger and possible threats well before any neurotypical person is. Autistics are not only aware of danger in advance but are also aware of milder degrees of danger that neuroptypicals may never have considered significant.

Among the dangers that an overactive inhibitory mechanism considers is the presence of strangers or being in a social situation where an autistic has no way of assessing the intentions of the crowd.

So to reframe that problem of self awareness. There is NO global or persistent problem for individuals on the spectrum to see themselves and control their own behavior. On the other hand there is a differential and circumstantial self awareness problem where seeing one self and controlling one's behavior is sacrificed in favor of perceived self preservation drive in the context of a threat. The threat being anything from a loud noise to being present in demanding social situation and so on...

From a pattern and a recharacterization of the problem, we move to our natural hierarchy, self preservation trumps social composure and posturing. Therefore when self preservation is threatened, self awareness and appropriateness go out the window in favor of preventing self harm.this is the natural order and it is present in all people, autistic and neurotypical alike. It is just way more tilted in favor of self preservation in autistics. It is also well tilted in favor of social composure and interactivity in neurotypicals.

Let us move on to practical solutions based in the natural hierarchy of human priorities. You simply cannot ask a person on the spectrum to maintain self awareness and self control when this person is perceiving a threat to her existence. I am mindful most care givers will say but there is no threat that we can sense. Yet, this is the difference between you and the autistic person you care for. While you see opportunity and excitement in meeting people and being in a crowd, the autistic to your side is seeing threat and danger from the same environment. It is a perceived threat, but it is as real as it gets to a person on the spectrum.

Being mindful of and validating perceived threats that autistics feel is the first step. The second step is measured and very very step wise exposure to anything that seems to trigger this threat sensation. Then comes trying to dismantle the components of the threat. Of course engaging by example on the side of the care giver can be very helpful. Yet, more helpful would be to guide an autistic person through what you think makes this situation safe. Pointing out a multitude of smiling faces or peaceful expressionless faces as a sign of safety can be easily done. Pointing out that you know everyone around is also helpful. And so on and so forth as a care giver you have to breakdown the environment and point out all the favorable components in it to put an autistic person at ease. And always remember, no matter what you do, never ever invalidate a feeling of perceived threat as "just in your head" or "just anxiety that requires some meds". Such comments cause the autistic person to further lose self control and possibly become agitated in indignity.

The above are practical solutions but the ultimate solution is to create a situation where the person on the spectrum is the center of attention. This is the ultimate way by which autistics gain full self control and the only way by which honest Abe was able to lead a divided nation out of the civil war and preserve the union.

Rami Serhan, MD
consultant@sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm

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Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:01:20 -0800 STRANGITIS: What if autistics were in charge of healthcare, a short video http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/strangitis-what-if-autistics-were-in-charge-o-4 http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/strangitis-what-if-autistics-were-in-charge-o-4

STRANGITIS: What if autistics were in charge of healthcare, a short video
An onion style encounter between an autistic psychiatrist and a neurotypical patient set in an imaginary world where autistics decide health policy and societal norms

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:01:23 -0800 Recent Tufts study shows autistics experience allergies at 10 times the rate in neurotypical children http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/recent-tufts-study-shows-autistics-experience http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/recent-tufts-study-shows-autistics-experience

Recent Tufts study shows autistics experience allergies at 10 times the rate in neurotypical children
What is this about: this study finds autistic children have 10 times the chance to develop allergic symptoms compared to neurotypical children.
Why is this important: allergies are important because they cause inflammation and increase permeability (leakiness across the gut, blood vessels and so forth).
How is this a problem: inflammation is a problem since it overly activates a child's defenses and makes it easier to go into overload. Going into overload leads to isolation, disinclination to engage with others, temper flares... Increased permeability or leakiness is a problem because this allows toxins, debris and unsanctioned chemicals normally filtered out in the gut or blood to cross into the rest of the body and create an emergency. This emergency is manifested by further inflammation, activation of defenses and eventual overload.
What Can a parent do about it:
first be aware of foods that seem to upset your child. This could be anything. Wheat and grains are commonly the problem but many other foods may be allergic triggers too. For example, cow milk, hen eggs, soy, and sometimes even some vegetables could do it.
Second, recognize the difference between raw wholesome uncontaminated food and between processed chemically laden food. While everyone else may eat at fast food parlors, enjoying a burger or a pizza without visible consequences; one has to be especially cautious in th case of autism and asperger's. Children on the spectrum may not tolerate the chemicals in canned soup or processed candy or a commercial pizza as well as a neurotypical child can. Sensitive kids are also sensitive to environmental chemicals and food industry chemicals (preservatives, starches, food coloring...).
Third: symptoms resulting from food intolerance are typically an upset stomach, skin breakouts, ear infections, diarrhea or constipation. However sypmtoms can be a lot more subtle than that. Things like malaise, the child just looking off, or short tempered or experiencing a headache can be evidence enough of a food related problem. Once one makes the observation of which foods seem to be tolerable and which seem to cause problems, one can devise a diet that is free of these foods. This is not as easy as it sounds because you would have to include the right balance between fat, protein and carbohydrates. Additionally, one has to account for vitamins and rare minerals which are only available in certain food categories and not in others. A parent may be able to do this themselves but are strongly urged to seek the help of a healthcare provider, an enlightened doctor or nutritionist to help along. A provider can do a variety of testing to verify and confirm your child's food intolerances. An enlightened doctor can also help in keeping your child's diet balanced while avoiding the offending foods.
Are there any objective tests for related problems? Of course. There are two main types of food testing. IgG based food allergy panels are widely available and usually test for dozens of possible offending foods. On the other hand, IgA based food intolerance panels can test for major foods (staple foods). There is room for both types of testing in helping your child. However you would have to go to a holistic/integrative healthcare provider for this purpose. Mainstream doctors only do rudimentary and often insufficient food allergy testing. Besides most mainstream doctors lack training in nutritional help.

Please note that I am not including any specific recommendations for providers or laboratories in this piece. However if you are interested please email me for more specific guidance.
Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
consultant@sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:01:22 -0800 STRANGITIS: what if autistics were in charge of healthcare, a short youtube video http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/strangitis-what-if-autistics-were-in-charge-o-0 http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/strangitis-what-if-autistics-were-in-charge-o-0

STRANGITIS: what if autistics were in charge of healthcare, a short youtube video

An onion style encounter between an autistic psychiatrist and a neurotypical patient set in an imaginary world where autistics decide health policy and societal norms

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:01:14 -0800 STRANGITIS: What if autistics were in charge of healthcare, a short youtube video http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/strangitis-what-if-autistics-were-in-charge-o http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/strangitis-what-if-autistics-were-in-charge-o

STRANGITIS: What if autistics were in charge of healthcare, a short youtube video
An onion style encounter between an autistic psychiatrist and a neurotypical patient set in an imaginary world where autistics decide health policy and societal norms

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Tue, 04 Jan 2011 14:01:27 -0800 A Swiss Perspective on Autism: how Intensity and hypersensitivity shape every autistic's future http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/a-swiss-perspective-on-autism-how-intensity-a http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/a-swiss-perspective-on-autism-how-intensity-a

A Swiss Perspective on Autism: how Intensity and hypersensitivity shape every autistic's future
I could not ignore this article coming from the Ecole Polytechnique in Lausanne, Switzerland. The researchers detail a functional model of the autistic brain and make very plausible conclusions on resulting autistic behavior.
In short, autistics approach the world with more intensity than neurotypicals. This approach has its basis in hperactive and hypersensitive neural circuits in the brain and hyperplasticity (ability of brain cells to grow, branch, multiply and make new connections with other neurons). The result is an many parents can attest for, inceased vigilence, attention to specific details or fragments of the surrounding environment. This is also associated with fear learning, avoidance and many times superior intellectual abilities.
Sadly, society associates this combination of excessive avoidance of social situations and superior intellectual abilities with bad names. However, this is just the normal that autistics experience. It is not a life sentence though. The article is also rich with explanatory notes on means to try and use this knowledge to optimize behavior.
The main premise is that more intense, prolonged or repetitive exposure to stressful situations inevitably lead to avoidance and refusal of social interaction. The solution is to expose a growing child only in a measured way to stress. Take it one day at a time and never try to push your child into a cocktail of social situations. Rather try to expose him to very few people, very gradually and string it over time.
There is a ton more to be said about this subject which I will be emphasizing in the upcoming book PSYCHE-SMART AUTISM TM.


Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:01:14 -0800 FDA Upholds Mercury Amalgam Safety Decision, Mercury toxicity notwithstanding http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/fda-upholds-mercury-amalgam-safety-decision-m http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/fda-upholds-mercury-amalgam-safety-decision-m

FDA Upholds Mercury Amalgam Safety Decision, Mercury toxicity notwithstanding

Sometimes I feel these decisions are taken by conspirators who wish to see us all die of a variety of toxins, but then I go back and try to understand these things for what they are.

You get yourself a bunch of bureaucrats who are more worried about their pensions than anything else; you give them the power to make decisions that change the landscape of American medicine but you instruct them not to rock the boat unless the fatalities outnumber the beneficiaries.
This is one tough combination to deal with for a bureaucrat who is risking losing a pension. Basically, the FDA will not act to change any practice no matter how archaic or toxic unless the dead are piling up on the streets of Bethesda. This is really sad but an important perspective one must have when looking at FDA (and CDC and NIH) decisions.
The presence of mercury in amalgam has been proven beyond doubt. The ability of mercury to seep from amalgam to the rest of the body has been proven without any doubt. The ability of organic mercury (not a good thing, just a chemical classification) to cross the blood brain barrier is also well documented. The ability of organic mercury to lodge in the myelin sheath in the brain is also well documented and repeatedly proven. Myelin in a substance that surrounds nerve cells and accelerates signal transmission in the brain. When myelin is compromised, as in increased amounts of mercury infiltrating it's ranks, we become slow and unable to learn to a large degree.

So, while the bodies are not yet piling up on the streets of Bethesda, the evidence is overwhelmingly favoring the toxic effects of amalgam fillings due to their mercury content.

There is no treatment for mercury in the brain of unsuspecting patients. There is also no treatment for the beaurocratic mentality. All you can do is refuse amalgam and demand "COMPOSITE FILLINGS" from your dentist until the government wakes up, wises up and bans amalgam from the market.

Another thing you can do is ask your dentist to replace old amalgam with composite. Even fillings that are decades old still have enough mercury to make you sick in a variety of ways. I can tell you stories when clients of mine got rid of the amalgam fillings and saw improvements in a diverse set of conditions including hot flashes, skin dryness, other menopausal problems, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and so on and so forth.

My heart breaks every time I have to write a blog like this but that is all one man can do. Preach, preach, preach to anyone and everyone until society catchs on.

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Mon, 20 Dec 2010 10:23:53 -0800 Is there an Erin Brockovich in the house: cancer causing chromium found in drinking water http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/is-there-an-erin-brockovich-in-the-house-canc http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/is-there-an-erin-brockovich-in-the-house-canc

Is there an Erin Brockovich in the house: cancer causing chromium found in drinking water

I have been following the environmental working group (ewg.org) for several years. I started following them after they released their landmark database detailing all the chemical toxins in cosmetics and personal care products so glorified on the market.
This time, they have outdone themselves. They tested the drinking water supplies in most major cities across the cowntry and they are due to release their report before Christmas. They found significant amounts of hexavalent chromium in 31 cities.
Of course this specific type of chromium was made famous or infamous by the movie Erin Brockovich which detailed the fight of a small town in California against pacific gas and electric which was poisoning their town with this industrial byproduct.
One would think that after the landmark class acton suit, corporations would back off and reconsider, but no. To corporations, it is about the risk of getting caught, the financial damages incurred then, as opposed to the financial gains that can be made meanwhile. It seems the algorithm they used pointed to the gains outweighing the damages to be paid, human life and dignity notwithstanding.
It is the same sad story repeating itself with a different poison and a different part of the country but always with the same reckless mentality the deemphasizes human life in favor of profit and the almighty dollar.
Hardly anything surprises me anymore but these stories still sadden me deeply when I dscover them.
Are we supposed to drink distilled water exclusively, eat only what we grow and dwell in known corporate free land only. What is a citizen supposed to do. The world as currently ruled by corporations is literally being made unlivable for the rest of us.
SOLUTION:
As we all know the origins of profit came with the reformation, over 500 years ago. In case you did not, the reformation stipulated that if you manage to start a business and make money as a consequence, then god loves you for it. And the more money you make the more god loves you and you are only just discovering this love. This came as a response to centuries of enslavement by the catholic church. You see before the reformation, the church owned the land and everyone slaved to work the land with all the benefits reaped almost exclusively by the pope and his cronies. There was no banking system and no personal property or pride. And while the reformation and all it's enlightening premises were a giant step forward for humanity it seems it falls a little short in some places.
One main area where the reformation fell short is greed. What happens when owning and operating a business turns from a display of how helping people and making money is compatible with faith, to a situation where poisoning people for the sake of amassing wealth becomes the bread and butter of American business.
As a friend of mine always reminds me, greed does drive innovation and improves our lives. So what do we do. The question that we face today is not how to abolish Greed, because there is no innovation without it. The question we face is how much greed should be allowed and how much of it should be banned.
I think there is a minimum of greed that is always necessary in business but that we need to legislate limits to that greed.

Lone wolf in the wilderness productions.
Happy holidays everyone,
And remember to watch what you drink.

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Mon, 13 Dec 2010 13:09:35 -0800 From miniskirts to minivans, Uniformity's avalanche latest: domesticate Autistics http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/from-miniskirts-to-minivans-uniformitys-avala http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/from-miniskirts-to-minivans-uniformitys-avala

From miniskirts to minivans, Uniformity's avalanche latest: domesticate Autistics
It boggles my mind every time I hear it. Well meaning scientists with impeccable knowledge finding no outlet to their creativity except through pharmaceutical drugs. This time it is autism. There is a tuberculosis drug called cycloserine currently being tested to reverse autistics social inclinations and get them to conform with society's ideas of social behavior. Of course the argument is that autistics with even above average intelligence grow up to be under-employed or unemployed solely due to their social inaptitude.

While the lack of social skills can be a problem in the workplace for many, the question is, are autistics unable to learn these skills and therefore needing medication; or are autistics refusing to engage in this whole social scheme and workplace etiquette and therefore willingly ending up outside the system.

Of course for the youngsters among autistics it looks to an observer like they can't learn social rules of conduct. But this is only how it looks. Most of these kids can not express themselves and therefore cannot voice their displeasure with the communication system used by neurotypicals. However, as these autistics grow up and gain better ability of self-expression, they tell you a different story. The story I have heard over and over is about disenchantment with a communication system based in the abstract and commonly devoid of logic or reason.

The neurotypical system of interpersonal communication, while greatly evolved and serves the community quite well, does not sit well with most autistics who prefer more concrete, logic-based communication. This fact has led many autistics to rebel against workplace politics and hierarchy and rules.

At it stands this is a philosophical difference and not a deficiency that autistics have. In fact the argument, in an ideal world can go both ways. Why don't neurotypicals embrace a straightforward, logical and sensical communication system instead. Of course, this is only a rhetorical question but the point is, the fact that an autistic person prefers to communicate in a way that puts her in the minority, does not mean she needs treatment. It only means that she has a choice to make. Either learn the neurotypical ways, and stay within the system or continue your rebellion and find or create an environment conducive to the system you prefer.

What neurotypicals don't realize is that the number of autistics among them who have chosen to learn the system is bigger than they could ever imagine. In fact in business schools the teaching goes that about 6% of the workforce is made up today of "odd elements" that try everyday to comply with the needs of the current environment. Of course these 6% are the neuroAtypicals who have chosen to comply with the abstract illogical system of communication prevalent today in the workplace.

Some other autistics refuse to learn it because of all the disdain they have for the system and choose to do something else. Mainly they create or join environments that cherish their own ways of communication.

This topic is a pure choice that every autistic has to make for herself at some point in her life. This is not some sort of deficiency or defect for the medical experts to cure.

The sad part is that fully competent scientists fail to see this choice because they are wrapped up in an environment where the only way they can fulfill a career Ambition is by finding a "disease" that needs a pharmaceutical treatment. This is where the grants are and the glory. If they choose to see things the way they are, then there are not as many diseases to treat and there is so much lost potential and ruined careers.

Don't you wish we lived in a world where scientists are given grants to examine lifestyles and arrive at the most suitable lifestyle changes that fit our personalities; but no one pays you to do that so you have to go for unsanctioned drugs to keep your job and passion going. Sad very sad reality.


Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:00:30 -0800 "Autism Speaks", a corporate protege' out to "cure" autism; informed consent apparently optional http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/autism-speaks-a-corporate-protege-out-to-cure http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/autism-speaks-a-corporate-protege-out-to-cure

"Autism Speaks", a corporate protege' out to "cure" autism; informed consent apparently optional

I am going to leave most of the talking to the source link since they seem to have an accurate description of the corruption and ignorance that is rampant at Autism Speaks, a self-appointed organization seeking a "cure" for autism.

For years I have been telling my clients and anyone who would listen that us adults need to change the way we look at autism from a disease to cure to a personality we need to treat as equal. I tell them that if we don't undergo this paradigm shift and soon, then this generation of autistics is Going to grow up into adulthood and punish everyone who mistreated them. And as proof of what I have been saying, here is an article published by college students in georgia exposing autism speaks for it's rampant corruption in appropriating funds and rampant ignorance in promoting a cure for autism. They view autism spectrum as a mistake that needs to be corrected. They go further to research tests that can be done on pregnant women so they can be given the choice to abort instead of having an autistic child.

The scandal grows further but I will leave it to the source link. Our ignorance as a society and our intolerance for anyone who sounds different is going to come back and haunt us. And I am not speaking about some alien minority or some outside group. I am talking about our own children, nephews and nieces. They are growing up and they are good at rebelling. Heed or face the wrath of an oppressed minority.

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Mon, 06 Dec 2010 11:27:13 -0800 My take on Monsanto, Genetically Modified crops, and compliance with natural laws! http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/my-take-on-monsanto-genetically-modified-crop http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/my-take-on-monsanto-genetically-modified-crop

My take on Monsanto, Genetically Modified crops, and compliance with natural laws!

And here it begins, or I guess it comes to the public eye. It was not enough that the last century brought all sorts of unsanctioned chemicals to the food chain. It is not enough that processed food widely replaced wholesome age old food in the biggest experiment humanity has ever witnessed.

Now, it is genetically modified food. I am positive that monsanto and other big companies who see profit in modifying crops and domestic animals will find a way to present "compelling evidence" about the safety and effectiveness of these modifications. I am also sure that the government will have some law compelling some agency to review the facts and make sure that the big corporations comply with standards they choose for themselves by themselves. I am also sure they will take to the airways and to the Internet touting the safety and greatness of modified food. After all the model has already been set by the pharmaceutical industry and has been working flawlessly since world war II and even before.

If the pharmaceutical industry can convince the FDA that any chemical is safe, rat poison included, then the food industry can find a way to convince the government and the public that manipulating DNA of plants and animals for profit is a good thing.

Just like many people who take pharmaceutical drugs daily suffer no consequences, many people who will eat genetically modified food will also see the same results. On the other hand, many other people will suffer dire consequences and lose their lives just like the horror stories we hear everyday about pharmaceuticals that turn out not to be as safe as initially thought. Need I give examples. I don't think so. Just read the newspaper and you will see for yourself, the recalls, lost lives and law suits.

So, should we be opposed to genetically modified food or just go with the flow and hope for the best. Well, the human body is adaptable. It can take all sorts of hits and still stand tall. This is a fact. Evidence of this truth is that the human body more or less has withstood all the chemicals in food and all the pharmaceutical drugs so far, rat poison included. This tremendous adaptability is the reason why not everyone who takes pharmaceutical drugs or eats processed food ends up dead. The success of unsanctioned chemicals in the food chain and at the drug store is a testament to the greatness of the human body and not to the safety and effectiveness of alien chemicals embedded in every venue of our lives.

However, in some cases, for some folks, their body is already maxed out adapting and these poor individuals suffer the brunt of it all. There are some folks who are so unfortunate that they can no longer adapt. These are the ones who end up dying or getting sick from pharmaceuticals and chemicals. Albeit a minority in society yet a significant minority.

Many drugs on the market today, are flat out toxins that should not be in use for anything other than pest control if that. Yet they are given to us as cures for this and that disease.. The fact that certain percentage of takers die from it is most often not significant enough for the policy makers to issue a recall. Except in a few occasions.

This adaptability of the human body has emboldened a whole industry that makes it's living betting against nature. As unfortunate as this sounds many folks are convinced that nature is somehow defective and should be constantly corrected in order to improve the lives of people. This is the crux of the subject and the biggest misconception of post-industrial societies.

It is like having a family and living peacefully in an independent home. Then suddenly an annoying and destructive and manipulative visitor shows up. He goes on disrupting your family's daily routine which you can accommodate. He then goes on to drain your resources with unnecessary purchases and you accommodate that too. He then goes on to sour your relationship with your spouse which you can find solutions for. He then goes on to limit your children's potential by corrupting their thoughts and leading them away from what is good and productive for them. And again you step in and correct the problems and patch the discourse. And the visitor is not done yet. Everyday he is creating a new brush fire for you to put out and the occasional big one that saps your energy and patience. Left unchecked he is likely to burn the house down and kill everyone in it.

My question to you is: when on earth are you going to kick the intruder out. When on earth are you going to wise up and know that this visitor is nothing but trouble. Nature, mother earth, natural laws are very accommodating and very generous. But do we have to test their generosity and their limits in our lifetime.

Wise up and stand up for anything and everything that threatens you and your families by making you depart from natural living. The next dust ball may bring destruction of unimaginable proportions if you don't.

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Thu, 02 Dec 2010 09:41:48 -0800 Fluoride in water: dental cavities vs. Intelligence development. An easy choice? Evidently not. http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/fluoride-in-water-dental-cavities-vs-intellig http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/fluoride-in-water-dental-cavities-vs-intellig

Fluoride in water: dental cavities vs. Intelligence development. An easy choice? Evidently not.

I remember many ago I was strolling through the streets of Honolulu when I encountered a sit in in front of a government building. The remnants of my old activist flare kicked in and I decided to stop and inquire about the reason so many people are gathering in anger.

Low and behold I found out they gathered to protest the fluoridation of their drinking water suuply. After speaking to few protestors, I concluded two things,
1- none of them had a phd in anything or understood the science behind fluoride.
2- they were indignant at such an act on purely instinctual and historical basis.

Having accepted the public policy that fluoride can prevent tooth decay without questioning, the protestors passion had me intrigued. Once I got back home I was on a quest to figure out any holes in the government argument and whether I holds to scientific scrutiny.

The first thing that struck me was that many western european countries not only don't recommend fluoride but they ban it outright from public use. This was the kick i needed to go on. Later, what I found out is that the fluoride recommendation that dentists make and the presence of fluoride in drinking water are based on a laser focus on one known benefit of fluoride, prevention of tooth decay. In the usual reductive way, fluoride was recommended nationally based on this truncated fact. A look into the whole body notwithstanding.

The reductive method of breaking everything down into it's smallest component and neglecting to put it back together afterwards is nothing less than a curse on our scientific community and policy makers. They make conclusions based on tiny pieces of the puzzle and they consistently ignore the big picture. This is how the neurotypical mind works. There is no integration, no focus on the whole just the parts. ONE CAUSE LEADING TO ONE PROBLEM AND THE SOLUTION IS ONE SOLITARY INTERVENTION. This monolithic approach is a plague on our lives.

The human body is a lot more complex than this. There are always multiple causes behind any problem and multiple interventions and changes are needed to correct the problem. The fluoride case is no different. In this case they ignored the effects of this imposed fluoride on the rest of the body. And there are many effects of fluoride on each and every part of the body, not just the teeth as the policy makers would have us believe.

I will mention two ares of great importance, brain development and hormone function. And the two are not unrelated. Fluoride is o e of the biggest elements present in nature. The human literally does not know what to do with it when it is given these historically unprecedented levels.

What the body does is store it in it's dump, the fatty parts of the system. These fatty parts include many parts that influence proper hormone function, that are crucial for growth and development in children. The fatty parts also include the bed that brain cells lie in called myelin. This myelin is important for proper message transmission in the brain and is essential for language, reasoning and just about every aspect of intelligence development.

Fluoride is simply sitting in the way, preventing hormones from doing their job and preventing the brain from having the room it needs to grow and flourish.

These are two good reasons in my opinion to reject the dentist recommendation, use fluoride-water for drinking and to condemn the whole reductive means of thinking that plagues society.

I am sure you heard a lot about fluoride from conspiracy theorists but I assure you I am not one of them. I don't think the government is somehow secretly contributing to the "dumbing down of america". But I do think they use bad science, incomplete science at best to make their recommendations.


Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:01:15 -0800 Suspected inefficiency of energy production in autistic kids may be related to less physical activity http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/suspected-inefficiency-of-energy-production-i http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/suspected-inefficiency-of-energy-production-i

Suspected inefficiency of energy production in autistic kids may be related to less physical activity

This is a study that reported an inefficient production of energy in autism at the cellular level. The power plants of the cell (mitocondria) in autistics seemed to function at one third the efficiency seen in neurotypical children. The amazing part is that testing only 10 autistic children the mitochondrial energy production problem was evident.

Of course, anxiety and feeling threatened by strangers play a big role in many autistics withdrawal and refusal to play or other physical activity. However, this mitochondrial problem could be the cellular link that manifests in fatigue and poor stamina.

Nothing in the human body is caused by one factor or one process. Everything we feel, every symptom we experience is the result of multiple factors leading to it. The same applies here. Fatigue is a state of mind, caused by anxiety, fear and a long list of threats. Fatigue is mediated by many hormones, neurohormones and other chemicals in the body. Cellular fatigue is an undercurrent that contributes to the subjective feeling of fatigue. I hope this puts the recent finding into context.

Yet this finding has it's significance since stamina, strength and limb-eye coordination depend in large part on the availability of energy in the cells.

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:19:33 -0800 Sun spots and deflation threaten the stock market http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/sun-spots-and-deflation-threaten-the-stock-ma http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/sun-spots-and-deflation-threaten-the-stock-ma

I love that it's not just the sun spots that will cause the market to crash, but also the threat of deflation. I've heard some wacky stock market forecasts before but predicting the movements of the market based on forecasted sun-spot activity takes the cake.

Amplify’d from finance.yahoo.com

The favorable sun-spot activity will soon come to an end, and humans will begin to view the whole world as glass-half-empty.  This, and other factors, such as a deflation crisis, will cause the Dow to plummet to 5,000.

Read more at finance.yahoo.com

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Tue, 30 Nov 2010 10:07:06 -0800 NIH makes public its National Database for Autism Research NDAR http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/nih-makes-public-its-national-database-for-au http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/nih-makes-public-its-national-database-for-au

NIH makes public its National Database for Autism Research NDAR
I have not yet had a chance to inspect the site closely but they are saying it includes data on over ten thousand research participants from multiple government sponsored research. This is not saying much, but at least all the data can now be found in one place. A step forward in an otherwise widely neglected subject when it comes to government funding for autism research.
I will report more once I have a chance to take this database for a quick ride.

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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